Speaker
Description
First Name: Vincenzo
Last Name: Andretta
Email Address: vincenzo.andretta@inaf.it
Affiliation: INAF - Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory, Naples
All Authors: Marco Romoli and the Metis Team
Abstract: The Metis coronagraph on board Solar Orbiter is providing a new window into coronal dynamics through observations with exceptional temporal and spatial resolution. Its high cadence capabilities (down to 20 s for extended runs) are being utilized to study the extended solar corona from 1.7 to 3.6 solar radii. The spatial resolution at perihelion (2000 km per pixel) also matches the best coronagraphic images available to date. Since the start of the Nominal Science Phase in 2022, these combined capabilities have opened a new window on coronal dynamics. The resulting observations have revealed a range of previously unexplored transient and dynamical phenomena. Results include the detection of density fluctuations with characteristic periods in the 3-5 minute range. Furthermore, high-cadence images have allowed for the characterization of small-scale flows in the middle corona, observed in both the context of transient events like CMEs and in more quiescent regions. We present an overview of these and other results, emphasizing the power of coordinated observations with other Solar Orbiter instruments (such as EUI, SPICE, and the in-situ suite) to link coronal dynamics to their source regions and the nascent solar wind.